I See Fire

27 | Yaba left in real Life

Alhaji Abdullah and his wife take a lot longer to come back to Abuja—their kids had actually ran on the treadmill of independence for far too long; for children of their level (cradled since birth) anyways—they waited for his brother to heal and take his sister-in-law to India.

But before that, it was a hassle to get to Yaba and finding the laptop bag turned to a goose chase that got them almost killed. They went without escort which was a big mistake but they didn't think it through.

Hajiya Waleeda is already tired, angry too at him for going to Abuja for the meeting and for him also carrying her around muddy roads and around people she was sure would beat her to a naked pulp to take every belonging she came with.

She was smart at least, in her black three-quarter jeans and bathroom slippers, no makeup and no phone. Bare skin and bare pockets took them there and brought them back alive. She was sure not all were bad but the most she'd heard weren't welcoming.

"So what was on that laptop that had us running up and down like children in a mine field?" She folds his shirt and gently drops it on top of another shirt. "You looked like you wouldn't take leaving it and getting a new one as an option so what is it?"

He pretends to not hear her as he drops a pair of shoes in his second box. She pauses, her hands massaging her cheeks.

"Baban Nadine I don't know why you don't want to tell me. I always know when you're hiding something." She sits on the bed and taps the side for him to join her "Are you in trouble?"

He shakes his head "I'm not in trouble." He sits beside her "It's not about the laptop Waleeda. It's more than that."

"Even more reason for you to tell me!"

"Uhmm.." he bites his lower lip and releases it anxiously "It's a flash drive in the bag."

She scoffs, moving from him "You can't give me that and expect me to believe."

"Its the truth Maman Nadine."

They'd made it a part of their routine to call each other by the attachment of parent to Nadine so they didn't forget her or ever lose the memories they have with her. It's sweet until they actually get entranced in a memory they have to shed tears before they're back to reality.

Every time, it would happen and the time would keep rewinding in their heads painfully releasing pelts of imaginary stones to their chests.

As for Zayda, they believed she was still alive—in hiding but how would she provide evidence of sharing the same space with her without sounding unhinged? She couldn't talk to anyone about it.

"See, I'm already angry at you. Don't make it worse." She goes back to continue folding his things. She'd already finished packing her belongings so she offered to help him.

"Why are you angry?" He also goes to the box with their shoes and picks up her heels from the wardrobe and puts it beside his and continues for more.

She gives him a look that says to shut up as she angrily shoves the remaining clothes in the box, breathing hard as she finally zips it shut.

"Please Waleeda listen."

She goes round the bed and lays down with her arms holding her propped up knees to her chest "Yes?"

He closes the box and pushes it to stop at the door where the rest were and sits by her leg "It's for a business—a huge contract."

"What makes a piece of metal covered in plastic so special?"

"It's the only copy of a file we had saved. We don't even have an agreement printed out."

"The maker can surely email you—fax you even!"